Winds on Pre-Laurel Peak: S 5-10 Temp 19˚ F

A long range trough dropping down from the Pacific Northwest will move through the Four Corners region bringing cloudy skies and snow to our area through Friday morning. 4" seem likely by nightfall with another 4" or so falling tonight. We'll see a slight increase in SW winds today with speeds averaging 10-15 mph along ridge tops. High temps will be in the upper 20's. Look for lingering showers Friday morning with winds shifting to the NW following the passage of the storm. Skies should begin to clear later in the day. This looks to be our last shot of snow for awhile as high pressure builds over the region.

The skiing and riding remains as good as it's been all year. Winds have been remarkably calm for the last several days and the sun has largely stayed behind the clouds. Most aspects offer great riding conditions in creamy, medium density powder. Only a few of the most southerly aspects have developed a crust. The snowpack is starting to feel supportive which has really helped riding conditions, but step off your skis or sled, and you still punch through almost to the ground, especially on northerly aspects. What this means is that a cohesive slab exists on top of very weak, faceted snow underneath. Throughout our travels this week, Dave and I continued to experience collapsing of the snowpack on a variety of aspects and elevations. This indicates that the poor structure is widespread, and that it remains sensitive to the weight of a skier or rider. Human triggered avalanches up to 2' deep are likely on steep slopes facing W-N-E-SE. On steep, wind loaded, northerly aspects dangerous, unsurvivable avalanches up to 6' deep are possible.

Check out the video below Dave made of his tour on Tuesday up Noriega's Ridge where he continued to find very weak snow.